Dream Big

Hi Everyone!

So many of you have been sending me e-mails asking why I haven't been blogging, so I am finally back! Sorry I haven’t blogged in a few weeks, but I have had so many exciting things going on and in all honesty sometimes going to the blogs to talk about the past week’s episode is very draining. All the drama between the women on the show wears me out! So this week I am going to write a little differently. I want the fans of the show to get to know me personally a little better. Sometimes I forget that people only know the “reality TV” Gretchen and not all of my other layers. Remember the show only shows about 12 to 20 minutes of our lives each week, so in that short of time you truly can’t get to know someone and grasp all they have going on.

I have so many positive things going on in my life and I don’t want anything negative in my life right now, therefore I will only touch a little on what has been going on with the show these past few episodes. I've dealt with enough negativity and loss (like losing Jeff) to last me a lifetime. So I know your question is, “Why the heck would she do a reality show then?" ...right? Well I don’t know if many of you know this, but Jeff was the one who convinced me to do the show. I had a couple of other people offering me roles on shows and I turned them down for many reasons at the time. When this third opportunity came knocking at my door Jeff finally said to me, “Honey, I think the universe is trying to tell you something about doing a show.” So ultimately he is one that convinced me to do the show.

Jeff was an amazing business man and I think that was the initial attraction between us. I was a self-sufficient woman and was not impressed with his money or lifestyle, because I had already created it for myself through my real estate business. I always believed I could do it on my own because I had been doing it for most of my life. My father and mother were inspiring role models and taught me to work hard for the lifestyle I wanted. They taught me about work ethic, and how it would take diligence, dedication to your craft, and a strong skill set to become successful. I am so grateful to God for blessing me with such intelligent and amazing parents. They truly are my heroes and my best friends. On Friday and Saturday nights I don’t like to go out on the town; I'd rather be at my parents' house having dinner and talking business or life issues over a glass of wine. Wow - how things have changed since I was younger!

With that said, I have always been a hard worker because it was instilled in me. I enjoy the thrill of the next business opportunity I can make happen. It makes me feel alive and successful. I hope one day to be able to balance it all, work, family, kids and being a wife again, but right now I have myself to worry about and therefore I am running with the momentum I have behind me to help build what I hope to one day be my empire. I have always admired the people who know how to brand themselves into something that is relatable and likable to the masses. That is a very difficult task to accomplish especially while being on a reality TV show. For instance Martha Stewart has done a remarkable job branding herself in her niche. People like Martha inspire, motivate and allow me to press forward. Even when she messed up, she got back up on her feet and pressed on!

Part of the reason I have been out of commission blogging has been my very hectic schedule over the last few weeks. Sometimes I tend to be an overachiever. When my friends see me and say I "look like hell” (in a nice way, of course) I know I probably have too much on my plate, but I truly wouldn’t have it any other way right now. I have been to New York, Utah, Texas and Vegas in the past three weeks alone. In between traveling for work opportunities I have been working day and night in order to get the finishing touches to my new makeup line done so we can launch on my new website www.gretchenrossi.com I have had an overwhelming response to the launch of the line since it has been introduced into the show, which is very exciting, and yet nerve racking. I can barely keep up with orders and the e-mails coming in. So many of you have given suggestions, asked about working for Gretchen Christine Beaute and also requested it to be sold in your stores. I cannot say thank you enough for you support and inquires. I had to hire help this past week just to get through the e-mails. I am so excited to show you my new line. Lots of tears, sweat and hard work have gone into this venture so I hope you guys like it as much as I do. One a note about the show - as much as I respect Vicki’s work ethic, to hell with her saying my business venture "might not work," and that none of us work besides her. I just wish she could spend a day in the life of Gretchen and then she might feel differently. My belief is you can dream whatever dream you want to! Hey, look at how Vicki was wrong about Lynne and her cuffs! Congrats to Lynne and all her hard work paying off!

With that said, my makeup line is only one of the many businesses I have brewing right now. Many don’t know this, but I technically own several business entities and am trying to balance and operate all of them on a daily basis. I'm just not insecure about it and don’t need to talk about it every second and remind everyone I have a job or that I am running a business. I just don’t believe in making others feel inferior. I believe in encouraging and lifting people up. Sometimes I think if the women took a moment to get to know me more they would actually be surprised by the person I am. I am excited to be introducing you guys to my different business ventures through my website. I am working within the space that is my passion ... beauty! Between “The Gretchen Project,” my makeup line, my endorsements deals, and my personal passion for beauty, I am hoping to become your familiar and trusting beauty consultant as I build my businesses within this space.

On that note, because I have already dealt with some tough life issues I have a much different outlook on supporting and taking care of myself as a woman. Between my first marriage and losing Jeff I have truly always believed in taking care of myself. I have never looked for the easy road. The easy road is not something I want. I am who I am today because of what I have been through and endured - it has built character in me. I know my mom would love me to settle down and have kids and technically become a stay-at-home mom, but I am too much of an entrepreneur! Even when I have kids I hope to have my businesses up and running and functioning on their own, so I have income coming in and can still care of the kids (one of the most important jobs in the world if you ask me). I tell you this because I want to encourage you to pursue your dreams and don’t let ANYONE tell you that you can’t do it!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the creative space of this business and all the opportunities it has allowed me to explore, particularly the opportunity to focus on my writing. So many of you have asked why my music wasn’t a part of the show this season. Since the release of my song was outside of the timeframe we shot the show, I will give you a little background. I've been writing ever since I was a little girl. I have a book of songs that I have continuously added to over the years. When Jeff passed away, writing was a way for me to express what I was feeling and dealing with internally. I ended up doing a business acquisition of a music-publishing catalog and had the opportunity to work with a top producer by the name of Bryan Todd. I brought my book of songs to him with the hope that my lyrics and ideas would be passed on to big artists in the music industry. We sat down to do a written session, and then a male vocal demo singer sang the song. Once I heard it I felt it was missing something; some sweetness and some country twang, if you will. I started to sing out loud during the writing session and Bryan said, “Gretch, you need to be singing this song!" Let me tell you that it took a lot of coaxing me to get behind the microphone. Once I started to sing the lyrics I found myself singing from the depths of my soul and it became a very therapeutic process for me. I was taking my pain and turning it into music - it was one of the most thrilling feelings I have ever had in my life! I have always loved music and my family is all very musically inclined. We always sit around singing and playing guitars. I know I don’t have a voice like Celion Dion and never claimed to, but Bryan convinced me that the song would resonate with the people so much more due to the tragic loss I had suffered. I am now grateful for that extra little push from him to go for it! I then decided to take my song and use it as way to help save someone else's life. I felt so hopeless when Jeff was sick and then when he passed away. The way I built back hope in my life was by helping others. Download the song on iTunes, and proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Jeff Beitzel Memorial Fund I started in Jeff's honor. Thank you all for your support of this cause. Here is the link to download: http://bit.ly/a0ms8D

I was just recently asked to do my first live performance, opening for Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. The performance was held at a club in L.A., in front of one of the hardest critics in the business ... Perez Hilton. (What a super sweet guy he is in person.) The night before the performance I found myself on a phone call with a decision to make. Should I perform, knowing that I have never sang live before, or should I wuss out and watch the opportunity pass me by? Well, I went for it! As scared as I was, so nervous my hands were shaking, I did it! And I even got kudos from Perez afterward! So needless to say, when opportunity comes knocking there is a reason for it and you have to go for it! There will always be haters, but I have learned to let those people be my motivators and then kill them with kindness (they just don’t know what to do with that response.)

So now I think you guys have a better understanding of why I haven’t been blogging due to my schedule and my priorities right now. My best friend from college is getting married and I am headed  to her wedding this weekend. I'm super excited to spend time with my wonderful college girls out there! I continue to do this show because I want to get the message across that you can still be a good and nice person no matter how others treat you. You can feel sorry for yourself or laugh at yourself. You can decide to move on or sit and be depressed about what you have been dealt. You can hold your head high no matter how many people try to knock you down. Lots of people ask me how I continuously stay positive when people try to hurt me or tear me down, and due to my personal faith the one thing that I remind myself daily is that NO ONE CAN ROB ME OF MY JOY!

Slade surprised me with a trip to Vegas this past weekend (Jim and Alexis came with us as well) and I had a wonderful LOVE day/weekend with him! I hope yours was the same!

'Til next time, blessing to you all!

Xoxo,
Gretchen Christine

Listen to Gretchen's hit song, "Nothing Without You" below!